The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-04-16
What the Grange DEMONSTRATING 6

| What the Grange Demands-Taking q
| Stand on the Subject Of Taxation and
| other Public Matters.-At the last meeting of
| Garrison Forest Grange the following resolutions
| were adopted:
l. The repeal of all exemption by special acts
kof legislation except the general tax law of 1876
not secured vested right by contract with the
State.
2. The repeal of that section of the general tax
law of 1876, exempting churches, parsonages,
charitable and educational institutions, and the
direct subsidy by the State of all such institutions
whose support is a necessity to its welfare.
8. The taxation of all other property not other
wise exempted by the general tax law of 1876.
A. The exacting Of pledges, by our organization
party, for the legislature, and the publication of
those who refuse or violate the pledges, with the
advice to patrons and citizens to oppose such can
didates at the primaries or the polls.
5. We urge that every member use his greatest
endeavor to secure such nominations at our COM
ing primaries as will meet our views.
1t was also resolved that copies of the above
resolutions should be sent to the oranges of the
State, with the request that carly action might be
taken upon them, either in the original or in an
amended form, and that their delegates to the
State Grange should be instructed as to their de-
cision.
1t is the disgrace of our otherwise we'll governed
made, and that too often the means employed by
corporations to obtain exemptions have been such
to cast doubts upon the integrity of our legisla
ture.
1t is the object of these resolutions to determine
some way in which unjust exemptions shall be
prevented, by practically prohibiting all exemp-
ton as class legislation, by which the burdens of
one class of property are removed, to be placed on
other classes already overburdened with taxation.
Resolution l refers to the many exemptions OBJ
tanned by railroads and other corporations, to the
exemption of manufacturing plants, to all exemp-
tions obtained by special act outside of the general
tax law of 1876 Its justice is too plain for argu-
ment.
Briefly, we hold all exemption of property from
the debt it owes the State for its protection is
subsidy; that these subsidies are greatest to the
richest churches and institutions that all exemp-
property that poor communities are taxed sa 9hg
same, indirectly, for the support of churches,
| whether they can own a small church or none.
| Our hope is to assist the needy churches by re-
moving this burden from their congregations.
But we oppose all exemptions as the thin edge
| of the wedge; we oppose the exemption Of So
called charitable institutions andchartered schools,
and we favor the direct subsidy of all institutions
whose support is vital to the welfare of the State
after their Just taxes have been paid, that the
| average taxpayer may see from the published tax
reports exactly how much of his money is justly
| so expended.
| Resolution 3 is summary. In resolution 4 we
recognize the shameful indifference of our taxpay
ers to our political interests We claim that, COM
| posed as we are of members of different political
faith, yet act politically for honest taxa
ton, and yet not be partisan for either party We
recognize that it is idle to pass resolutions, unless
| we seek means to enforce them. We claim the
right to advise as order, the opposition of can
didates whose affiliations against the taxpayer.
And this opposition may be felt if our members
merely make it point of attending their respec-
| tive primaries; and while there may be objection
to exacting pledges on some questions, as on reso-
luton 2, or mortgage taxation yet we hold that
he who cannot answer satisfactorily our first reso
luton is hardly fitted in capacity or integrity to
| be a law-maker. Moreover, we will not advise, as
a Grange, the support of any candidate whose re-
cord is not that of an honest and worthy man.
The power of even small organizations is often
exhibited in the legislature when no organized OPP
position lifts its voice, and our only hope is in Or
| ganization.
| To the brethren of our order throughout the
State, and to all worthy men, we look for assistance
in this Just issue, and ask the members of each
grange to decide what action shall be taken, and
| to instruct their delegates to State and county
oranges, if they have approved our means or have
| devised better and more expedient means for the
| same ends.
There are some small additional exemptions in
the laws of 1876, such as hand and foot tools,
which we also disappove Crops and fish in hands
| of producer or agent are exempt. Mortgages are,
we think justly exempted, unless the property it.
| self is exempted, from an amount equal to the
| mortgage debt, as otherwise the State would re-
ceive a double tax, which the borrower would pay,
| as agreed on the face of the mortgage.